20 Web Server Interview Questions and Answers

A web server is a computer system that stores and delivers web pages and other content on the World Wide Web. When interviewing for a position that involves working with web servers, it is important to be prepared to answer questions about your experience and technical knowledge. This article discusses some common questions that you may be asked during a web server interview, along with tips on how to answer them.

Web Server Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked Web Server interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is a web server?

A web server is a computer system that hosts websites. When a user tries to access a website, their computer will contact the web server and request the files that make up the website. The web server will then send these files to the user’s computer, which will allow them to view the website.

2. Can you explain the difference between an application server and a web server?

A web server is responsible for handling the HTTP requests and responses for a web application. An application server provides the runtime environment in which a web application can run. In addition to the web server, an application server also has components for handling things like application logic, security, and database access.

3. What are some common examples of web servers?

Some common examples of web servers include Apache HTTP Server, Microsoft IIS, and Nginx.

4. What does it mean for a web server to be stateless?

A stateless web server is one that does not keep track of any information about the clients that connect to it. This means that each request from a client is treated as an isolated event and the server does not try to remember anything about the client from one request to the next. This can make it more difficult to provide a personalized experience for users, but it can also make the server simpler to implement and scale.

5. What’s the significance of thread pools in web servers?

Thread pools are used in web servers to help manage the large number of concurrent requests that the server may receive. By having a pool of threads that can be used to service requests, the server can more efficiently handle the load. Additionally, thread pools can help to prevent the server from becoming overloaded by allowing it to queue up requests and then service them as threads become available.

6. Are there any disadvantages to using a web server as opposed to an application server? If yes, what are they?

While web servers are designed to provide a simple way to host static content, they are not as well equipped to handle more complex applications. This is where application servers come in, as they are designed to provide a more complete solution for hosting applications. However, this comes at the cost of increased complexity and cost.

7. Is it possible to configure more than one website on a single machine that has a web server installed on it? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to configure more than one website on a single machine that has a web server installed on it. This can be done by configuring virtual hosts. Virtual hosts allow you to map multiple domain names to different websites on the same server. This way, you can have multiple websites running on the same machine, each with its own domain name.

8. Can you give me some examples of robust web servers?

Some examples of robust web servers include Apache HTTP Server, Microsoft IIS, and NGINX.

9. What is the default port number used by most web servers?

The default port number used by most web servers is port 80.

10. How would you go about diagnosing issues with a web server?

There are a few different ways that you can go about diagnosing issues with a web server. One way would be to check the server’s logs to see if there are any error messages that can give you a clue as to what the problem might be. Another way would be to use a tool like Pingdom to check the server’s uptime and response time, to see if there are any patterns that might indicate an issue. Finally, you could also contact the server’s administrator directly to ask if they are aware of any issues.

11. In which situations should you not use a web server?

There are a few situations where you might not want to use a web server. One is if you are only serving static content, like HTML files. Another is if you are only serving a single user or a small number of users. Finally, if you are serving content that is not sensitive or confidential, you might not need the security that a web server can provide.

12. What is your experience with Java-based web servers?

I have experience with a number of Java-based web servers, including Tomcat, Jetty, and JBoss. I have found that they are all relatively easy to set up and configure, and they offer a good amount of flexibility in terms of the applications that can be run on them. In general, I prefer Tomcat for its simplicity and stability, but Jetty and JBoss are also good options.

13. What is mod_proxy?

Mod_proxy is an Apache module that allows the Apache web server to act as a proxy server. This means that it can forward requests to other servers, and return the results to the original client. This can be useful for a number of reasons, such as load balancing or security.

14. What do you understand about web sockets?

Web sockets are a way to keep a connection open between a web server and a web browser so that information can be passed back and forth between the two in real time. This is different from the traditional request/response model of communication, where the browser would request a page from the server and then the server would send back the requested information. With web sockets, the connection stays open, so the server can push information to the browser as it becomes available, and the browser can do the same.

15. Do all web servers support SSL? If not, why not?

No, all web servers do not support SSL. Some web servers are not configured to support SSL because it can be resource intensive. Additionally, some web servers may not support SSL because they are not configured to handle the encryption and decryption of data.

16. What is a virtual host?

A virtual host is a web server that is configured to host multiple websites. This is done by assigning each website its own domain name or IP address, which allows the web server to distinguish between the different sites. Virtual hosting can be used to host multiple websites on a single server, or to provide different levels of service (such as different levels of security) to different websites.

17. Which programming languages can be used to write web servers?

Any programming language can be used to write a web server, but some are more commonly used than others. For example, languages like Java and Python are often used to write web servers.

18. Why do we need reverse proxies?

A reverse proxy is a type of proxy server that takes requests from clients and forwards them to backend servers. Reverse proxies are used to improve performance, balance load, and provide security for backend servers.

19. What are some ways to optimize the performance of a web server?

Some ways to optimize the performance of a web server include using a content delivery network (CDN), caching static content, and using a faster web server software.

20. What ports do HTTP/HTTPS requests use?

HTTP requests use port 80 by default, while HTTPS requests use port 443.